By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 4: Paddy production has declined significantly in the country this year, mainly due to massive floods triggered by the unseasonal rains in October, last year.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), paddy production has decreased by 8.74 per cent to 5.13 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2021/22 compared to last year’s production.

Paddy output totalled 5.13 million tonnes that is 491,000 tonnes lower than last year’s harvest. A total of 5.621 million tonnes of paddy was produced last fiscal year 2020/21. The paddy production of this year is lowest in five years.

Around 5.151 million tonnes of paddy had been produced in the fiscal year 2017/18, 5.61 million tonnes in 2018/19 and 5.550 million tonnes in 2019/20.
Even though paddy plantation area has increased by 4,000 hectars this year than in last year, the paddy production has decreased significantly due to off-season rains and floods.
The productivity of paddy has decreased by 8.61 per cent to 3.427 tonnes per hectare this year.

The MoALD records show that the production of paddy declined by 31.49 per cent in Sudurpaschim Province and 18.38 per cent in Lumbini Province.
The natural disaster hit production by 8.76 per cent in Karnali, 3.24 per cent in Province 2, 0.93 per cent in Province 1 and 0.35 per cent in Bagmati Province.
However, paddy production has increased by 2.33 per cent in Gandaki Province this year.

A total of 1.26 million tonnes of paddy has been produced in Province 1; 1.386 million tonnes in Province 2; 507,789 tonnes in Bagmati; 406,336 tonnes in Gandaki; 999,399 tonnes in Lumbini; 125,146 tonnes in Karnali and 441,913 tonnes in Sudurpaschim Province.